Improved seat-back



a y stmt-ed i gitane @anni i @time swrassaaeww W. H. PAIGE, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR IO HIMSELF, JOHN SWEENY, AND JAMES W. RUSSELL, `OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Pate-nt No. 83,536, datecl'October 27, 1868.

IMPRovED vsanar-BACK.

Figure l is a front-view `of a seat-back, with my inp vention applied;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section, through line B G ofgl;

Figure 3, is an end ,view of the wood or frame of a seat-back, showing the bearings for springs;

Figure 4 is a side and front view of a spring;

Figure 5 is a back view of va portion of a seat-back, with the springs applied;

Figure 6' is a front view of` the same;

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse' section, through a` portion of' the seat-back, showing details of eonstruef tion of' one modification gf my invention; and

Figure 8 is a front View of a portion of the frame, showing the same modification. g l

My invention relates more particularly to the elastic `portion of' a seat-back, and it consists in such construction of' the same whereby the back will conform more perfectly to the back of the person using it, than other seat-backs nowin use, while it still retains all the elastic features of a seat constructed with especial regard to ease and comfort.

As seat-backs are now constructed, a large poition' ofthe back yields to the pressure of the person using it, so that it does not adapt itself to the body ofthe user, merely possessing an elastic principle, without any particulaiadaptation to the form of the body pressing upon it.

- Toremedy this defect, I use str. ight, fiat metallic springs, so arranged that each end bears against a solid or firm bearing, being curved when in place.

That others skilled in the art may be able to make and use `my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and application to use.

In the drawings- A represents the foundation orfrarne of' a seat-back,

- which may be a solid piece, or framed, or it may be 4shaped properly, and have portions removed, to make the back as lightas possible, as. shown in 5 and 6, and along the edge of such frame, both at the upper yand lower sides, is made the channel n, or a longitudinal strip, m, as shown in figs. 7 and 8, may be either glued or secured to the frame or back by means of screws a', the inside of which strip mis chamf'ered or beve ed, making a recess, n', between said strip and frame. Screws a c may then be inserted in the frame,

passing through the channel fn or recess n.

' The springs b b, which may be made of flat steel, and having a notch, c, in each end, and suitably tempered, are then inserted in the channels an, as shown in iig. 2, and are se placed that the screws vc c pass through the notches c in the ends of said springs l1, thus keeping said springs in their proper position, while the springs themselves ma f have their bearing either against the bottom ofthe channels n n, or against the screws a a.

The strip of webbing, j, or other material, and of any desirable width, may be placed between the springs andthe. frame A, and secured at each end of the seatback, at It, or elsewhere, for the purpose of preventing the springs from pressing through or bending the other way; although, as the seat is covered with some' strong material, upon the back side, there is no real necessity for using said strip of webbing in most cases.

Suitableduck or other stout material is then placed over the convex side /of the springs, and tacked, or otherwise secured around the edge of the frame at d and the outer covering, s, is placed over this, and like! wise secured at d, the space between meanwhile being stuffed with hair, or other suitable material.

The covering and smiling, however, are not a part of' my invention, as they have, of course, long been used.

lhe back may then be covered with suitable material, or may have any desirable wood-fuisl1,the strip or piecey j' being used when the body or frame A is made open.

The construction is shown in the drawings as applicable more particularly to car-seat backs, although lit is, of coin-se, applicable to any seat back.

Its operation is as follows: The springs, cloth, and stuffing being in place, as shown in fig. 2, if a person reclines against the back at x, that particular part 'with which the person comes in contact yields to the pressure, while the part above is forced outward; and if a set of these springs be used, and a person lean against the convex part of the set, that part of' the back which is forced outward adapts itself to the body of the person using it, making a much more comfortable and easy back than is possible by any other known means.

By this arrangement, much less hair or stuffing-ma terial is required, and more labor and expense saved than in the construction of seat-backs now practised.

It is evident that a metallic strip, properly chamfered, or having a longitudinal channel, n, therein, might be properly secured to the wood portion ofthe seat-back, said strip having suitable protuberances in its channel as an equivalent to the screws c. cl., this device being merely an equivalent to my invention;

I am aware that various seats or cushions have been constructed, having flexible metallic springs, but they have generally been made upon an entirely different principle, as shomi in Letters Patent? 1anted to LV. Fillebrown, Jr., dated J ul v '10, 1R66, and numbered 56,200, in whieh more or less ofthe whole convex surface ot' the. springs is foreed downward or inward, when acted upon, no part of'said springs beingl forced outward to adapt themselves tothe body of the user; and, indeed, it would not be desirable, in a seat or cushion, to ha-ve anyr port-ion operate in an outward direetion, and conform to the body, as a great desiderat-um in a cushion is that itinay be cool and agreeable, while the pressure against a seat-back is not sutiieient to cause heat in any greater undesirable degree.

I disclaim, theretbre, said device, for which Letters Patent were granted to said Fillebrown, or any part ofit, and all other devices, irrespective of my own particular arrangementand eonstrnetion; bu't havingl deseribed my invention,

That l do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The metallicy springs b b, attached to the body or frame A, the ends of said springs having,` a bearing in the eliannels a or n', with the serews a a or other protuberanees therein, the wlnile,when covered and stuffed, forming a seatfbaek, all constructed and operating substantially as herein described and set forth.

Witnesses: i WV. H. PAIGE.

T. A. CURTIS, E. E. RICE. 

